Percussive accessory for string instrument

Abstract

A percussive device for a stringed instrument includes a support structure, an attachment component that attaches the support structure to the stringed instrument, one or more hammers attached to arms rotatably coupled to the support structure and one or more actuators. User activation of the actuators causes a corresponding one of the hammers to make contact with a string of the stringed instrument resulting in a rotational force applied to at least one of the hammer arms or actuators. The applied rotational force causes the hammer to be positioned out of contact with the string of the stringed instrument. The applied rotational force is overcome when an applicable force has been applied to the corresponding actuator by a user, thereby causing the hammer to contact a corresponding string of the stringed instrument.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A percussive device for a stringed instrument, the percussive device comprising:
 a support structure; 
 an attachment component configured to attach the support structure to the stringed instrument; 
 one or more hammers attached to arms rotatably coupled to the support structure; 
 one or more actuators rotatably coupled to the support structure; and 
 at least one rotational force device configured to apply a rotational force to at least one of the hammer arms or actuators, 
 wherein the at least one rotational force device comprises at least one torsion spring or a helical compression spring, and the applied rotational force causes the at least one hammer to be positioned not in contact with the string of the stringed instrument; 
 wherein the attachment component comprises at least one of a strap received through one or more slots located in the support structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein user activation of the one of the actuators causes a corresponding one of the hammers to make contact with a string of the stringed instrument. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1  wherein the applied rotational force is overcome when an applicable force has been applied to the corresponding actuator by a user, thereby causing the at least one hammer to be positioned in contact with the corresponding string of the stringed instrument. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1  wherein the actuators comprise a user contact end and a hammer arm contact end, the hammer arm contact end maintains contact with the hammer arm when an applicable force has been applied to the corresponding actuator by a user. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 4 , wherein the user-contact end has a surface area that is greater than a surface area of the hammer arm contact end. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 5 , wherein the support structure comprises two side sections that are located on either side of the strings of the stringed instrument when the device is attached thereto, wherein the user-contact ends of the actuators extend beyond a width between the two sides of the support structure.